Cloudless Smile
by Porcy
Summary: In order for the world to meet up with him again, he has to be Gamzee Makara, after all. Time passes and passes to another day, and Gamzee still feels the need to continue his old deeds. Without any connection toward any friends for what seems to be eternity, Gamzee feels alone in his big mansion until he walks down memory lane. (Humanstuck)
1. Mellow Spaces

_**AN:**__So,__ I did a thing. A thing I'm not sure of why of publishing.  
But hey, nothing bad over that. Maybe I'll even continue it . . . eh.  
If anyone ever stumbles upon this, tell me your opinions, and if you want more. Because I'm right on the edge of doing any fanfiction at all.  
__-Porcy_

**_Update:_**_ You know what, after thinking about this story, I think I'll continue it. I'm sorry for giving low expectations and bad premonitions towards this, I've decided to challenge myself since I've never done any "chapter" stories before. This will be fun, will it? I think so. It'd be fun for you if you enjoy it and it'd be fun for me while writing it.  
Again, sorry for sounding so bitter towards this, I'm not really bitter, I just really don't feel comfortable writing fanfiction for some reason . . . it's nothing against anything, because in actuality I like reading fanfiction. ^^ But I just wouldn't see me being good at it.  
But, let this be a challenge, enjoy this chapter if you so please. -Porcy_

The bedroom of a man whose pockets are never empty was thrashed and disfigured of organization. The floor was covered with short-sleeved shirts and spotted baggy pants, not so much of a variety of clothes, but enough for this man to live. The man gazed at his wall as he laid lazily upon his unkempt but heavenly soft bed. His mind was blank, and he looked at each painting of his wall one at a time.

Gamzee Makara was the kind of person that seemed to be more of a cloud than an actual person. He was free of life decisions and tragedies of bankruptcy over his envious wealth; taken care of his silhouette of a father that was always in a different state as if he wanted to avoid his son at all costs. He indicated that his son was far from being able to give the world's face a permanent greeting and gave him more and more of his riches to survive. Gamzee, although a clueless teenager at heart, didn't need this amount of help since he was already a rich man of his career as a worker of a music store. But yet he'd always accept his father's help of a sloppy snatch of actually hearing from his dad. He was lonely in his vast mansion; but kept content as a fluffy cloud.

His gaze at his paintings was still held. He also had a knack of painting, and he'd always paint when he was going through his episodes of explosive wonders and tearful bouts of rage. He was an emotional character as a teenager, and it never seemed to subside even as a young adult. And to make the injury bleed more he was a drug addict as well.

He started with taking a couple blunts a day to cool his nerves as a seventeen year old over problems with school and with his dad and his relationship. Slowly savoring the horrid bitterness of the smoke and for the weight of the mellowness to bear down. Over the occasional smoke, he was happy as can be; made some new friends around town and most of all, he wasn't sad or angry.

Whenever he couldn't get his joints, he could always feel his mind slipping down to some sort of an abyss, where he couldn't feel anything. No rage, no elation. Perhaps over the years of taking marijuana it mellowed down his system completely and perhaps permanently. Which was a great thing for Gamzee, except he missed the feeling of just - _feeling. _When he was eighteen the composure laid down, and he decided to quit until he felt _lonely _again. The loneliness settled in almost immediately; he would sit down on the couch one day and like a scorpion's sting: nothing could feel right. It would strike and his subconscious would complain to him: _Just, maybe, to get rid of this, I could take another joint. _He, in omniscient control of this craving, rejected every time. It wasn't an addiction of any sorts, it was just an occasional urge to escape being _him _at any moment.

The first painting he caught an eye upon was a depiction of a clown. Its grey face paint dripping down upon its lopsided chin and its clothes casual and lackluster. Hell, that was _him_ in the picture. It was his very first painting to be exact, and it looked mediocre at best. The guidelines didn't seem to be fitting of Gamzee's face and his face just seemed warped and contorted over the overuse of the grey and white paint. But hey, practice makes perfect, right? And he definitely got better over the years.

Except the quality of the painting didn't bother him as much as to _why _he did it. During the time of the painting's creation, he had joined a group of random people they call '_Subjugglators' _that liked to paint their faces with face paint and were rich as hell. They were dominant and cocky over this, and took hits of drugs every chance they could get because they just _could. _Gamzee relished of being in the group as a teenager, and he decided to brainstorm of what his face paint would look like. He had a knack as an artist too, and he never tried painting before. And thus, with face paint decided and lush over the high holders of the group, he thought he'd be top dog of everything.

Yet, as a clueless teenager, he was wrong.

This was a time when he started doing marijuana, of being in an underground cult, society seemed to be miles away. His dad was miles away. The world seemed to be miles away. He was an outcast upon nowhere's face. He was angry and kept being so in school too. And the only way to be connected to people and possible make friends was to be the happiest person he could be.

And hell, did it work for him for so long.

Life, at this moment, is steady and working for Gamzee Makara. Except at moments like this. These moments seem to be eternity. Maybe it could be? He didn't know as he lit and pressed in his lips into the new fresh joint he had prepared for this moment.

_I mean, why the hell not? _He kept thinking to himself as the joint was resting on top of his drawer. It wasn't an addiction of any sorts, he thought that too. He just loved being the happiest person to his friends and at the world. He couldn't live without being Gamzee Makara: the mellow, dopey, caring, and most of all, drugged up person he could be.

He could sense and see the vast fog of smoke flourish at his face as he breathed out the puff of smoke. This was his first joint in a while, it wouldn't really hurt at all.

He closed his eyes for a bit and breathed out happily. A content faint smile rested on his face. He could feel the miraculous miracles sprout out into his brain and settle its spot there. He sank his head into his pillow and stared up at the wall.

His gaze stretched and gave an interpretation of his mind's creativity. Shapes of all bright colors appeared and broke apart. He puckered his lips and took another drag.

It was slow for the composure and happiness to come in, but it was worth it for him. He stretched his arms side by side of him and felt happy after a long day.

"_Dad, when are you going to stay here?" _

"_Not in a long while. I'm sorry, Gamzee."_

Gamzee starts to stir in his relaxation. In fact, he hadn't seen his dad in a while now . . . probably over contact issues and problems with his business. Maybe that's why he felt so inadequately alone after all. He hadn't been able to go around town for a while, maybe he needed that. But not until he's finished his joint, he most definitely needed that to be Gamzee.

As more and more smokes are taken in, he saw and felt the world's head turn to him and smile like it should always smile in his mind; _Hey there long best friend. _He heard in the back end of his head.

Hell, good riddance. This was Gamzee Makara. He _needed _this in his mind.

It wasn't after another ten minutes for him to be done with the smoke. He got up from his bed with an elongating smile forming upon his face, and threw away the remains of the joint.

Now as Gamzee Makara he should visit his happy town of miracles and colors. Like it always _should_ be.


	2. Old Faces

**AN:** _If it's been a long wait for you, I apologize for that, and I apologize if this is a bad chapter. But I'm glad if you do enjoy and want to see more. Thanks._

_Update: I know it's been late, I'm sorry. I've been busy with school and other things in my mind, so, sorry chapter three isn't here yet . . . I promise, it'll be out. This story isn't done. _

_-Porcy _

All that Karkat Vantas could hear was his consistent typing along on his laptop. It seemed to be almost an eternity for him to receive his Internet back as he couldn't pay the bill on time, of work being dirt-cheap with pay and no options he could venture to. He had kicked back onto his bed with his back against the wall surfing the net and seeing if he missed anything, and now he was practicing his amateur hacking with nothing else to do on his day off in his small apartment.

He had always struggled with money ever since he was on his own. He was in college going through courses of being a security guard, and he realized of the seemingly heavy stress he was putting upon him for this job. He was interested of surveillance and enforcement upon the law of society and humanity; even though of how much he hated humanity. He was never a people-person in the years of his bitter life, he never connected to anybody personally outside of his school, where that was the only outside environment he was pulled with his hands tied tight. He had an average IQ, but a vocabulary worth foaming in the mouth over.

Despite his dream of becoming a security guard, he was shorter than other men and was scrawny for his tough-pounded ambition. To combat this disadvantage, he would take trips to the gym at a regular persistence with some amount of luck, but never enough. He still could never defend himself.

There were before some times of when he nearly got picked on for a fight of some overall thugs around the apartment complex, but to no avail. He had been in one fight before, to which Karkat was in critical condition over, and an incident where he would last ever think about. He was battered, bruised, and left confused. After the fight and the trip to the hospital, Karkat never spoke of the ambush ever again.

Karkat also lived in a cruddy apartment, filled with economically depressed rags and a couple thieves here and there.

Enough for Karkat Vantas to survive, at least.

It was a lazy day for him, and all he had on was his ratty grey jacket and his black jeans, the knees ripped and the threads hanging desperately loose. His eyes studied and focused upon his blackened screen with green codes, typing into his keyboard to another oblivion. His ambition was rising and his temples beating and scorching.

He was attempting to expand his hacking skills up to a T for about several months now. Yet, he had never gotten a knack of technology. He would try and keep trying until he fell down to failure like a pile of decomposing bones. His anger issues rising and his level of coolness slipping down. This time he feels the time had came where he finally may succeed in a hacking session. This was true joyous _rarities _to dig over, and now he may have a chance of achieving it! _This _was how Vantas _should _be able to be.

Rows and rows of numbers and letters he read as he kept typing. He could feel his anticipated success course through his mind and heart, and he started smiling.

His eyes didn't leave the screen until his phone started to ring.

* * *

Gamzee's smile gleamed upon his face and he pressed his phone close to his right ear, awaiting for a special bestie's missed response. It had seemed forever since him and Karkat had communicated, about years actually. Their relationship as best friends toppled over itself whenever Karkat had gotten into a huge broad fight at the age of eighteen, and ever since then they stopped talking altogether. Now Gamzee was gone out of Karkat's life, and Gamzee was now going to talk to him.

It had took a couple rings for Gamzee to hear his voice again.

"Hello? Who the hell is this?"

"_Hey _Karbro! I'm - glad to hear from my bro again!"

There was a long pause coming from Karkat's line, and Gamzee's heart drooped, thinking that Karkat may have already given up of the call.

Along with the pause there was a discomforted sigh. "Gamzee? How do you still have my phone number? Why the _fuck_ are you calling?"

"I . . . " Gamzee stumbled upon his words after that response.

So, he guessed that Karkat hadn't forgiven him after the years.

"I wanted to all up and hear from my long-lost best bro, you know?"

"Well I _don't_ want to hear from you ever again! Not now, not _ever!" _

Gamzee's voice softened. "Karbro, please . . . " Gamzee's mellow happiness didn't suffice over Karkat's smoldering voice.

"Why? Why do you want to talk to me? It's _clear _to me that you're doing astonishing on your own with the fucking tubs of money you get every single moment you live in that mansion." Karkat took a breath and continued. "You beaten me to a tarnished pulp over your fucking _miraculous miracles _you call your fucking drugs, and after _three _years of everything being okay without each other you're back?" He stopped and took another breath. "I have every right to despise you! _I fucking hate you!" _

Gamzee's mouth gaped open, being revised by what happened three years ago. It made him feel so horrible that Karkat still carried so much hatred in his heart, but, he still had beaten his best friend and left him at the streets bleeding and bruised.

But yet no charges were pressed for him. Nothing was brought up towards him for karma.

"_Then, _why didn't you change your phone number or some shit?" Gamzee mustered out. His upper lip sucking in its bottom counterpart.

Karkat again didn't reply at immediate thought. The other line was quiet and all Gamzee could hear was his breathing.

"Well I didn't expect to hear from your sorry ass again. I thought we were over and _done _with. Sure, we might of been the best of friends then but but we are sure as hell not anymore." Karkat sighed in its angry chime. "I'm hanging up now. Goodbye Gamzee."

Gamzee didn't rebuttal anything and the call ended.

* * *

Karkat's eyes didn't leave his phone after he hung up from Gamzee. His eyes now studying nothing. It was almost like he had forgotten him after three years. He shoved Gamzee into the void of his mind and couldn't feel to hate or forgive him anymore. It was over, it was done with, he was gone out of his life forever with just a lingering memory and Karkat's psychology more extraordinary.

Was it okay to let go? At this moment Karkat had forgotten the answer to that question. He hated Gamzee, but now in the present it didn't seem to have mattered anymore.

He looked back at his computer screen and decided to finish what he started. Until he heard a knock at the door.

The now enraged and bubbling Karkat looked up from where he was and scoffed. He put his laptop on his bed and walked to his front door, peering through the peephole.

To his dead-on anticipation, he saw Gamzee Makara smiling with his lazy mouth grinning ear to ear.

Without even opening the door to greet Gamzee, he scowled: "You need to get the hell out now, Makara."

"Aw c'mon Karbro," Gamzee answered, and upon Karkat's second glance at the peephole his smile never changed. "you're still my best friend to me."

Karkat opened the door and his glare and frown met into Gamzee's smile and elated stare. "If you weren't, and if I really did all up and meant that all that long ago, why did I even motherfucking came back?"

"Does that even fucking matter Gamzee?" Karkat shot back, his temples feeling lit with fire over Gamzee's presence. "You still did what you fucking did, asshole. And despite you coming back you're probably still phased out from all the drugs you take. The only fucking reason why you're so uppity fucking bright is because of them!"

Gamzee's face lost all the liveliness of it. His eyes were still gleaming but to a now dimmer tone. "I stopped taking all of that after the, uh, night."

Karkat took a deep breath and stared into Gamzee's serious face. "Is that so now?"

"I, all up and felt horrible about what I motherfuckin' did. Really, I felt like shit when we stopped talkin' and immediately took a step back from the drugs and got some motherfucking help . . . I really didn't mean to bruise you up and shit, Karbro. It was the motherfuckin' false miracles . . . "

"You stopped? Your eyes are bloodshot."

"I just took one joint. I freakin' swear, I'm fine n-"

"Just please," Karkat looked him dead in the eye and his eyes escaped to his feet's point of view. "get some help, and stay away from me for now on."

"But I'm fine now Karbro!" Gamzee clutched the door from closing and stared into Karkat. "No hardcore drugs or anythin'."

Karkat's eyes narrowed. "I'm busy at the moment, so if you supposedly feel the need to talk to me, I'll call you. Will that satisfy you?"

"Sure thing," Gamzee said, his smile spreading to his cheeks again. "At your house, bro?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

"Awesome bro, see ya later."

Gamzee let go of the door and Karkat slammed it closed. He turned around to revisit his mellow stroll around town.

And as the days and nights pass on more, he was still waiting for Karkat's call.


	3. Grey Stars

**AN: **_I feel horrible as I type this. I stood up till four to finish this. It has been more than a month for me to get this done . . . I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for disappointing all of you. I started school and had been caught up with that and just haven't been motivated. It's no excuse, and I'm very sorry. Hopefully this is a good chapter, it is indeed the longest one yet, and I honestly feel a bit happy with it. I can understand your impatience and concern over the long wait, but here it is. Have a good day, and enjoy. -Porcy _

* * *

A month had passed. And thus a quarter of August was now gone. The heat's seether was calming down its rage and now it was just a subtle flow of the wind. The apartment complex remained the same and Karkat's peace was settled. Nothing came to bother or disturb him, and that was what he most liked.

Karkat kept his head down facing his animating feet and sidewalk. He had decided over his passed college courses he would take a walk down central town. It'd been a while since he stepped into the fresh air and sunshine of the outside, and mostly he didn't pleasure it. The sun wasn't his cup of tea for an enjoying or ideal day for him, as he was pale and a night owl to his grey heart. His light grey jacket he still wore during the summer was under a black shirt, and his black hair and bangs shaggy.

Karkat almost forgot how the other parts of town looked as he was leaving the area of the complex. He could actually see more thick trees blooming in the grass surrounded with cement and all cars alike driving down the lanes and roads. Few teenagers walking down the sidewalk with music blasting in their headphones and some people just saying hello to their town. Despite his hatred of being around people, he got over it for today. It seemed he had needed a quick dive with the sun for his complexion and perhaps his overall mood. Sheer happiness did need its light after all.

It was a pretty town with nice stores and a nice scenery. That was all Karkat wanted to please his need than a cheap apartment and fishing for rare finances every day of his life. His apartment complex was farther away from the central part of town, where the town became more scarce and quiet the closer you were to the land's exit. He never thought of moving anywhere else as money was tight already. Except as he's witnessed the town wasn't necessarily the safest place around. As he witnessed from Gamzee, an ostracized druggie with face paint to cover up his problems within. That was what Gamzee was as he realized on that night; Gamzee's eyes weren't bloodshot like how they were most of the time. The bags under his eyes even worse than Karkat. He could remember it like he was staring at a clear pane of glass, his face glued upon the surface and feeling like there was no chance for the glue to dissipate. Gamzee was sober. He knew this by the sudden depression Gamzee had carved upon his riddled face. He would twitch at any given time in conversation and most of all, Karkat could see inside of Gamzee that he was completely losing it.

Yet Karkat did nothing. There were times where he would loathe himself over his carelessness of their situation. Maybe it was all his fault. He felt it was. Gamzee didn't recover from the drugs soon enough, no help therapeutically or a trip to a rehabilitation clinic. After Karkat left Gamzee's life for good he had no clue how he succeeded in sobriety's rocky mountains, or if he even completely did.

It was all a mystery of what was behind the face paint.

The blinding sun's rays splashed into Karkat's eyes after he took a step from the engulf of a large canopy. He covered his eyes as he squinted. _God I hate the sun. _He thought as he looked left and right to walk down the street. To his right he saw a park with a few kids swinging on swings and a couple running around in the playground, and at the opposite side there were more buildings. He looked back down on the ground and he could already feel the sensation of the sun sneak up to his head and back.

_I hate the sun so much. _

"Karbro? Is that you bro?" Karkat heard a painfully reminiscent voice, and he knew who it was by a blink of an eye. Gamzee's voice was deep and sluggish. His words stretched out and he always sounded like he was never paying attention. Which is quite fitting for him. Karkat's head turned to his left to see Gamzee at the other side of the sidewalk, walking out of his job and waving like he was a child.

Karkat scoffed, and sighed. It had been two months, maybe he could've kept that record if he just stayed inside.

Gamzee was wearing a black T-shirt and a pair of black baggy pants with grey dots. His strands of black wavy hair that reached to his neck curling up, the sunlight reflecting a true smile at almost every strand. _The make-up is gone. _Karkat thought. It had been a while since he saw Gamzee's face without all that crud, his face could almost seem normal now. Karkat kicked himself in the head, or, he wish he could do that when their faces met.

Gamzee looked both ways, before he paced and jaywalked across the novice street. His smile could've lasted for eons staring at Karkat as they finally met face to face.

He was like a tower to Karkat. His eyes peering over his smoky eyes. He was about a head and a half taller than him despite his poor slouch, while Karkat was about an amateur height based on others. In his teens he hated being short while everyone else was nearing the six-foot mark. He despised people looking down at him as they talked, feeling as if he was a chastised child. He loathed being not what he wanted to be. Before he was eighteen he had gotten a growth spurt, making him at least ranging in the average height of a female. But alas, he was still not happy.

"Karbro," Gamzee's deep voice had a bit of a rasp to it. "have you been all up and fuckin' distracted for a month?"

Karkat wanted to step back from him. "Yes fuckass. I've been going to college courses."

"College?" Gamzee's eyebrows rose up, as if he was flabbergasted of even the thought of college. "That's motherfuckin' interestin', brotha."

"Yeah, sure." He muttered.

Gamzee smiled down at Karkat, and attempted to wrap his arms around for a "glad to see you again in the flesh" hug. He slouched, his brain instantly declining his embrace. "I'm not in the mood."

"Come on," Gamzee pouted. "Do you still not like me?"

Karkat again, was conflicted. Instead of giving an answer, he hugged him. A bitter and grimacing taste tarnishing in his mouth.

"Th-There you go bro." Gamzee chuckled. "Glad to have this miraculous reunion of ours."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever."

Gamzee laughed and hugged back.

* * *

He looked around the vastness and the riches of Gamzee's mansion. _Holy shit, this is amazing. _

Gamzee gazed upon his living room, seeing it all clean and neat. The glass table sitting in front of the plush velvet couch wiped from any rings or spills and the couch not having several shirts and pants resting on the cushions. He turned and stared back at Karkat with a composed grin, seeing Karkat's face shrivel in marvel and surprise.

"How the hell is this place so clean?" Karkat's lips never closed and he kept looking around.

"I did a lil' spring cleanin' . . . except it ain't spring, just fall." Gamzee looked down and pondered. "I guess it's a fall cleanin' for ya bro."

"Did you hire a maid or something? No way in fucking hell you did something responsible."

"But I did, brother!" He chuckled and walked into the kitchen. Karkat followed, expecting he only did a single room with a house as big as his.

He saw on the marble counter there were no baggies of 'his hit-ons' or food sitting since yesterday, in fact it was spotless. The stove and the fridge and the sink was practically perfect. And Karkat's eyes caved in more.

"You want anything?" Gamzee opened the fridge to unravel foods that Karkat could never afford.

"A drink would be okay, I guess."

Gamzee pulled out bottles of Faygo and tossed one to Karkat. He sat down on the counter's very own booth and relaxed without any tension.

"Things have changed. It's all different."

"Don't all up and think of it as that."

"It's like I'm not even in the same goddamn house."

"Things do change. Bro, it's nice to see you again."

Karkat tensed as he looked at Gamzee opening his soda bottle. Immediately upon the snap and the subtle fizz, he drank down the artificial wonder, enlightened by the vibrant cherry flavor.

"If you don't like cherry miracles, there's a few grape and strawberry bottles waitin' for a wicked drink-on. They'd be happy for a good ole buddy to be their good motherfuckin' friend." Gamzee laughed a bit and took another sip.

"You still say this shit is the best thing ever, when it isn't."

Gamzee smiled and his eyes drooped. "It's one of them."

Karkat took a few sips as Gamzee was done with his first bottle. He tossed it into the garbage bin and walked to the fridge again to pull out a grape flavored soda.

Karkat pushed aside of his drink. "What have you been doing after we last fucking met?"

Gamzee's mind outstretched a smile and he turned back to face him. Yet he didn't know how to exactly reply. "Just been workin' and shit. Gotten my life its shine on back. Had a bit of counselin' and now everything's peachy motherfuckin' keen."

"I guess that's good for your smug-ass." Karkat swished around his cherry soda in bitterness.

Gamzee shrugged and glanced at him. "And I see in my mind's good ole eye that you're still explosive Karkat."

"You don't say, do you fuckass?"

"Nah, I can still see the blasphemous stars blazing in them eyes."

Karkat was too confused and annoyed to reply. He took a small sip of his soda.

It was a moment of silence for the two after that. Gamzee was now done with his second soda and turned the plastic bottle to its side. Karkat looked up at Gamzee with a bitter rain cloud's tears blurring his face.

"Wanna play a lil' game to break the ice?"

"I guess?"

"Sure thing. I'll start."

He pinched the top and spun it counter-clockwise. The speed forming it into an illusionary circle. It eventually stopped to point at Karkat again.

"Now ask me a question, bro."

"What the fuck happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" Gamzee frowned.

"_Nothing, _I guess. Did you just do all this to impress me?"

"_Nahh . . . _I'm as serious as a rock."

"You're probably stoned as a fucking rock right now. I mean the last fucking time you were that, so why should I go blind now?"

Gamzee tried to hold back a bigger frown and instead smiled. "I suppose I don't need to all up and show you the scars of my past. Let this be a composed meet-up and let it all flow through the day. Let this day be for us, you know?"

Karkat sighed. "Fine. I'll stop asking you about it for the rest of the day."

The argument stopped and the bottle kept spinning. Their tongues kept giving out their present lives and stories. It was good enough for Karkat to be distracted.

Gamzee looked worn out after the babbling and talking, he was staring down at the counter with a neutral expression. He didn't pick up another Faygo, and he wasn't proceeding with the game anymore. His arm lied dead on the surface and his eyes were dull as graphite.

"Hey, Karbro," He said without giving him a smile. "I think that maybe we could go up to see the stars, since yours are so motherfuckin' grim still."

"Getting fucking deep all of a sudden?" Karkat recollected the last moment he kept track of the time before they started talking. He remembered it was about four, so it shouldn't even be close enough to nighttime yet. Or at least that's what he thought. Maybe they'd been talking for hours and Karkat couldn't care to notice. Perhaps this accidental meeting was refreshing and worth it. He didn't know. Seeing his best friend transform into someone new, seeing everything he had seen before revised and painted into a better light, and the new lips upon Gamzee's face speaking out about how everything was working out, it felt like he was meeting Gamzee for the first time.

He had always been peculiar about Gamzee. Whether he hated him or not. But at this moment for the first time, he liked Gamzee with pure and true genuine. Perhaps this was a new start.

"C'mon, it's getting late. Let's do this before the big motherfuckin' hand of the Master of Time gets tired."

Without giving a rebuttal, Karkat sighed and walked out with him.

Immediately into nature's sleeping hollow, the wind slapped both of them in the face. Gamzee's wild wavy hair flowed in the wind and Karkat was only blinded by the strands of dark brown shielding his eyes. The sky was a salmon pink. The stars and the moon was close to shining. In both directions the evergreen oaks's branches and thick leaves cooed and swayed. There were no sounds of car alarms or people speaking, and not even the sound of walking. Gamzee, despite his unexcited tiredness, was mesmerized of the evening.

"Motherfucking beautiful. We'll lie down on the Messiah's green sheets and stare deep into the ole black's eyes."

Karkat was always annoyed of how Gamzee personified everything he saw. As if the world was an entire show. He wondered of how he got along with other people behind his back with a speech of a poor riddler. Must be embarrassing. But Gamzee probably wouldn't have cared, as he was just himself. That was all that was worth in his part of society. If he even had one.

The two lied down and stared. Stared at how much the space could show them, and feeling grateful over such a generous limit.

"How do you feel about your miraculous-given life, bro?" Gamzee asked, his hands behind his head.

"I think . . . _great_, really."

"That's always great to hear. How do you feel about startin' life?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean being what's all up and best for your miracles to get to work." He turned to face Karkat with a lazy smile. "To finally achieve what you wanted, Karbro."

Karkat continued gazing at the sky. "You mean the college courses? A matter of fact, I've felt amazing after I got done with everything. Debt will stop kicking me in the ass and I don't have to see fucking obscene groups of needy people anymore. I'll get a decent job, get paid with decent cash, and life will flow like the fucking water is not even there." He folded his arms behind his head to relieve the knot forming onto his skull of the uncomfortable ground. "Everything now is fucking great."

"I understand." Gamzee kept smiling as best as he could. Mediocrity forming onto his lips.

The sky started to shade into a light gray. "I didn't expect it to be this late. Jesus Christ."

"What, you wanna go now? That's alright if you want to, bro."

"Probably going to go job hunting tomorrow. I might as well."

Gamzee chuckled. "Good ole Karbro, bein' responsible and shit."

Karkat got up and brushed the grass and twigs out of his hair and off his back. "I don't get how you're so fucking rich. Do you just fucking regurgitate the money all out? Heh, people will be a fucking greater race if all the money came from literally themselves . . . well, even that can lead to some corrupted shit." Karkat looked at his feet and sighed. "I'm leaving. I guess I'll see you later, fuckass."

"You serious bro?" Gamzee's eyes lit up, and they in immediate thought calmed down. "Yeah, glad to talk to you!"

Karkat looked at Gamzee with suspicious eyebrows, then stopped and put his hands in his pockets. "See you."

Gamzee then realized that Karkat's walk would last until the moon would start to gleam like a shiny dime. "Wait!"

"Yeah, I know. I didn't bring my car." He scoffed. "Can you drive me to the complex?"

"Sure thing. Hold on."

The nice black camaro Gamzee owned was a luxury in its own to be in. Once the engine was turned on and the gasoline pumping, they were off to the complex.

"Hey-thanks for the ride," Karkat said before closing the car door. He didn't smile, nor did he give a warm goodbye. That was all he said before he turned his back and walked inside his apartment.

Gamzee sighed a long-awaited exhale. His mind had been frozen ever since that afternoon, and now it was beginning its long thaw process. He felt exhausted, when he really wasn't all that tired. He drove back to his mansion with an anticipation for everything to relieve itself.

Once he entered the home, and made sure everything was clear, he took a blunt and lit it, preparing for his lips to be quenched of the 'hit-on'.

_I need this. It's all motherfuckin' good. _He thought, and he chuckled, waiting for time to serve its miracles.

_Everything's all good._

* * *

He took another drag, and he could remember when they were both sixteen. Karkat had gotten his new driver's license after a few frustrated failings in driver's ed. They were driving down once dusk had hit; seeing orange streetlights and shadows of walking people. It was evident that Karkat was getting scared of driving once the sun went down, but Gamzee persisted for his bro to go on with a chuckle or two.

Karkat took a sharp turn by the end of the lane and hit the curb. He jumped from his seat while Gamzee laughed.

"It's not fucking funny fuckass!" He yelled as he thrashed his seat belt off. He opened the door in a hurry and examined his mistake.

"Goddammit . . . " He pressed his fingers to his temple as if he was trying to channel the frustration within.

"Bro, come on!" Gamzee pointed to the wheel. "Just keep driving! You didn't damage the car or anythin'. Keep driving and then the stresses are all motherfuckin' gone."

"Fine. Just fucking fine." He got back in the car and fastened his seat belt again. He turned the engine back on and drove off the edge of the sidewalk.

"You got irritated over nothing, brother."

"Well, fuck me then! Sorry for getting fucking worried over killing us both in a stupid car crash that I'd fucking cause!" He gave a sad glare and stared back at the road. "Maybe I care, fuckass."

"That's all good that you care. But maybe you need to relieve your thinkpan with more love instead of worries."

Karkat rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Good for your 'hakuna matata' bullshit."

"How about you stop the car to a safe spot. I got something that'll chill everything out for ya."

He listened and after a few minutes of driving, they found a small abandoned parking lot for a dentist office that never took business. The streetlights gleamed a darker orange.

"Alright, bro," Gamzee said and he pulled out of his pocket a baggie. "this can calm your jumpily nerves since you're so worried of gettin' the car and us crumbled." The baggie was illuminated by the streetlights to reveal joints. "I got you and I covered, bro."

Karkat stared at the baggie. "You want me to smoke it with you?"

"Isn't it the motherfuckin' obvious?" He laughed, and took out a lighter from his front pocket. He lit it twice to get an adequate flame and set the tip on fire.

"I'm just trying to help a friend out."

Karkat looked down at the steering wheel. He sighed stressfully. "Fine. As long as if I won't be a nervous wreck like I always am when I take the wheel."

Gamzee smiled at Karkat and threw him a joint. Once he was done taking the first smoke, he handed the lighter to him.

They both started smoking, and once Karkat was halfway done, he had a smile more wide than Gamzee's. "Gam . . . " He said; his eyes closing at a rapid pace and his smile turning into a grin. "this is fucking magical."

The smoke trailed to the sky from the window. Their mumbles of slurring euphoria getting quieter by each drag. Gamzee would occasionally tell Karkat to "go without the law or anyone's back", He declined, at least the first few times. Gamzee kept laughing and commenting of the night's beauty and stars.

"Karbro-_Karbro,"_ Gamzee persisted, his chuckles sounding more happier. "Let's do something fun, _you and I. _C'mon; listen to your best bro."

Karkat glanced at him. "I've already said no, fuckass."

"Fine. Then we'll ride along the highway till it hits midnight. Fuck, I don't even know what motherfucking time it is now."

"Idiot." Karkat laughed. "Okay, sure. Let's go."

Before Karkat could turn the engine on to drive down the lane, Gamzee saw in his mirror a cop car pulling behind them.

In the present, Gamzee could remember the trip to the police station. They were both high with the evidence found and prosecuted. He remembered, that this wasn't his first time being caught after curfew and having marijuana, but it was now Karkat's first. As he kept reminiscing, he took another drag.

_It was all my motherfuckin' fault. _He thought quietly. They were both sentenced with days of community service; and Karkat was enraged at Gamzee for the longest time.

Karkat had it rough after that night. They would rarely hang out over Karkat's parents finding out and keeping their son away from him as much as possible, making Gamzee feel horrible over himself. He had no one to go to anymore. It was all his fault.

The sad clown sat down on his couch. He tried curling into a ball, not wanting anything else to enter his mind. He did feel bad through the years, the neurotic guilt and sinking feelings overlapping his quiet but content days or his bursting and happy days. There was no escape. He had been alone for so long, and Karkat was his only friend through the years. The only person that cared about him forgave him.

He was on the couch feeling horrible and melancholy. And this was supposed to be the happiest day he had in a long time.


End file.
